


To sail away with you

by Frodo_sHeart



Category: The Hobbit, lotr - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Bilbo lives in Erebor, Established Relationship, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Thorin's POV, sweet old couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-13
Updated: 2014-02-13
Packaged: 2018-01-12 06:53:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1183210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frodo_sHeart/pseuds/Frodo_sHeart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Frodo tells Thorin that he is going to leave for the Grey Havens, and Bilbo is upset. But not about Frodo. Gandalf and Thranduil are in for a shock.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To sail away with you

**Author's Note:**

> Having read quite a lot of Thorin/Bilbo stories, I really wanted to tell a story about the last stage of a long life together. So here it is. A happy ending for my favourite pairing ever. Expect fluff. I love them so much. 
> 
> You know, if there were ever an artist willing to make some art of old couple Bilbo and Thorin I would be over the moon. Wish I could do it myself....
> 
> On April 12, 2015, KuroCyou posted a translation into Italian here: http://www.efpfanfic.net/viewstory.php?sid=3091112 It's mighty curious to see my story in Italian! (Having studied Latin and a little bit of basic Italian I can just recognize most of my own sentences and am reading it through :-) )

‘What do you mean you are leaving? You cannot be leaving! You have only just returned!’

‘It’s been almost four years,’ said the quiet voice.

‘Never mind how many years! You cannot leave us, you cannot leave Bilbo now! You know he has not been well. And besides, you have not been well either!’

He tried to glare at the small being in front of him, but he knew that stare had never impressed those bright blue eyes as it should. He burst into a fit of coughing at the anger that rose in his chest.

‘Please calm down, uncle Thorin.’

‘Don’t you uncle Thorin me! You will not leave!’

Exasperated, Thorin sat down in his chair again. Confounded lungs, confounded creaky joints, confounded weakness! He scowled at the dark-haired hobbit in front of him.

‘I am so sorry, uncle Thorin.’ The silver-maned King under the Mountain looked at Frodo. Why did he still look so gaunt, so pale, so haunted? His heart ached for the frail little hobbit. Always so much more fragile than his uncle was, and yet having had to live through an ordeal that nobody really understood, except maybe Sam Gamgee, who never said a word about it.

‘You cannot leave,’ he said again. ‘It is simply out of the question. Bilbo would take it much too hard, and you are not really fit to travel anyway.’

Frodo seemed to crumble under his king’s gaze. Suddenly he covered his face with his hands.

‘I can’t.... I can’t go on anymore,’ he cried out. ‘I cannot bear it anymore!’

Thorin stood up as fast as his aching body allowed him. He grabbed the hobbit and drew him in his embrace. He felt the little body shudder against his.

‘What is it, Frodo?’ he asked softly, running a hand through the dark curls with the one simple braid, closed with a Durin-crested bead. ‘Is it that time again?’ He felt the hobbit nod against his chest. He cursed under his breath, cursed the wraiths, cursed the morgul blade that had wounded his little ward so unfathomably, cursed the Elves who hadn’t been able to cure this though they were supposedly the world’s greatest healers.

He held Frodo away from him so he could look at the white face, wet with tears.

‘How will leaving help with this?’ he asked. ‘Is it Erebor that gives you pain?’

‘Oh no, uncle Thorin,’ Frodo hastened to say. ‘No...’ He hesitated. ‘It’s just... life, I guess.’

‘Life?’

‘Everything.’

‘But where will you go?’ asked the king, trying to understand. ‘How is leaving your home going to help you?’ He felt Frodo stiffen under his hands. The hobbit looked at his feet.

‘Well?’ said Thorin, an unreasonable fear rising in his heart.

‘I...I have been invited,’ Frodo answered. He seemed reluctant to go on.

‘Invited by whom? Where?’

Silence.

‘Where, Frodo?’ he pressed.

‘To the Grey Havens, and beyond,’ Frodo finally admitted.

Thorin drew a sharp breath and almost pushed the little hobbit away from him.

‘The Grey Havens? The _Elves_ invited you to sail with them?’ Even after such a long time of peaceful relations Thorin’s dislike of elves surfaced occasionally, though not often with such force.

He became aware of the pained look in Frodo’s eyes.

‘I am so sorry, uncle Thorin,’ he said again. ‘I can’t bear to go, but I can’t bear to.... to _be_ either. I don’t know. They say everything will be better for me there. Though how I will bear the pain of not having uncle Bilbo and you with me, I don’t know.’ Tears were rolling down his delicate features again.

Thorin felt a coldness tightening around his heart. He stumbled back into his seat.

‘How can you even enter the Undying Lands?’ he asked. ‘I thought only the Elves could go there.’

‘Gandalf will be going too,’ Frodo said.

Thorin scowled. Confounded wizard.

‘So that is why he was talking to you last night,’ he said. ‘But you are neither Elf nor Wizard.’

‘I...I am a Ring-Bearer,’ Frodo said hesitantly.

‘So you are,’ said Thorin. Then a thought struck him and he looked up so quickly that his neck creaked, making him whince.  

‘Bilbo,’ he said. ‘Bilbo is a Ring-Bearer too.’

Frodo said nothing. He didn’t look at the aged king, who was tugging his long white beard with the intricate braids Bilbo so loved to make.

‘Will you be well there?’ Thorin asked gruffly. ‘Will your ailments be cured?’

Frodo kept silent.

‘Well?’ bellowed the King, paying for the outburst with another bout of coughing.

‘I’m not sure,’ Frodo said at last. ‘Though Gandalf and lord Elrond seem to think so. They feel I will be restored to my normal health.’

‘And Bilbo?’ Thorin’s voice was now little more than a whisper, while bending over to the hobbit. ‘Would he be restored if he went? Would he live?’

Frodo gave him the faintest of nods.

Thorin sat up again, a determined look upon his face.

‘That settles it,’ he said. ‘You will ask them to take Bilbo as well.’

Frodo didn’t react at all, his face still bowed down.

‘Frodo? Was he asked already? Was he asked to join you?’

‘Gandalf conveyed the invitation this morning. He won’t go,’ he said quietly. Then he looked up. ‘Really, uncle Thorin, do you think for one second that he would go without you?’

 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0

 

‘Bilbo.’ Thorin smiled at the sight of the old hobbit’s face, so soft and relaxed while he dozed in his seat near the fire. A book had slipped off his lap unto the ground.

The dwarf pressed a gentle kiss on his consort’s brow.

‘Âzyungel,’ he said softly. Two grey eyes blinked at him, a smile spreading over the wrinkly, yet still so very lovely face.

‘Thorin,’ said Bilbo, gripping one of his hands. ‘You have been working long today, my love. I thought Fili was taking over your duties again for the afternoon.’

With a groan Thorin lowered himself onto the small footstool in front of Bilbo. He looked into his beloved’s amused face.

‘Silly old dwarf,’ Bilbo said fondly. He took Thorin’s face between his hands, pulling him towards him for a slow kiss. Thorin let himself melt into the soft lips. Eighty years, and his love for his hobbit was still as strong as before they took back Erebor. Stronger, if anything. Deeper undoubtedly. He sighed when Bilbo let him go. Then he leaned forward, his head resting against Bilbo’s soft belly.

‘Bilbo?’ he said, his hand finding the hobbit’s, intertwining their fingers.

‘Yes, my beloved?’ said the hobbit dreamily, his free hand stroking Thorin’s long locks, silver, nay, almost white now.

‘Frodo came to me,’ Thorin said softly. He felt Bilbo stiffen. After a short silence, the hobbit said: ‘He told you then.’

‘He did,’ acknowledged Thorin. Bilbo resumed his stroking of Thorin’s hair.

‘I will miss him terribly,’ he said softly. ‘But it will be for the best. Eru knows how much the boy deserves it.’

Thorin raised his head to look his husband in the eyes.

‘But you?’ he said. ‘You too deserve it.’

Suddenly the gentle hand grabbed his hair and pulled. Thorin grunted. The hobbit’s soft grey eyes took on a stern look.

‘Don’t talk nonsense, Thorin Oakenshield,’ he said with a strong voice that reminded the dwarf of a time when they were both much younger. ‘You know full well that I will never leave you.’

Thorin sighed. He tightened his grip on Bilbo’s hand.

‘Your time on this Earth is running out, my love,’ he said earnestly. ‘You know how age has begun to catch up with you since.... since the Ring was taken away. If Gandalf is right, you can have unending, beautiful years in the lands of the Undying West.’

The hobbit scoffed.

‘Beautiful?’ he said, pulling his hand from Thorin’s and pushing the dwarf away.

‘Beautiful?’ he bellowed, eyes glaring. ‘Pray, tell me how they could be beautiful when I would have to leave my heart behind?’ He leaned over and grabbed his husband’s braids, pulling him towards him. He glared into the sapphire blue eyes, once so unyielding, now mellowed with love and age.

‘I. Will. Not. Leave. You,’ he said, punctuating each word. ‘Ever.’ After a short pause he continued: ‘Besides, you will not linger on this Earth for many years to come either, my king. You are stretching dwarven years as it is.’ He chuckled suddenly.

‘Look at us,’ he snorted. ‘White-haired, wrinkled, sorry old geezers.’

Thorin couldn’t help but laugh with his hobbit.

‘Oh my Bilbo,’ he sighed when their laughter subsided.

‘Oh my Thorin,’ said Bilbo with a smile. Then his face became serious.

‘I will stay with you till my dying breath,’ he said. ‘Or yours, whichever will come first.’

Thorin looked at him. The grey eyes stared in the blue ones, but suddenly didn’t seem wholly attentive. Just when Thorin was about to say something to attract his attention, he saw a glimmer starting to grow in those eyes. A hopeful smile appeared on the hobbit’s face.

‘Where are Gandalf’s chambers?’ he asked.

‘Why?’ Thorin couldn’t help feeling suspicious.

‘Just tell me, beloved,’ begged Bilbo, leaning over, knowing that Thorin wouldn’t be able to withstand his plea if it was accompanied by a few kisses.

 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0

 

‘Uncle?’ Thorin realized he hadn’t been paying attention to Fili’s words.

‘I am sorry, Fili, what were you saying?’ He saw the worried look in his nephew’s eyes that seemed to linger there a lot these days. The old King under the Mountain sighed. It was time. He had known that for a few months now, but it was hard. It was such a big part of who he was, no matter what Bilbo said.

‘It is time,’ he voiced his thoughts. ‘How about Durin’s Day?’

Fili stared at his uncle.

‘I know that is very quickly, but you have been taking on so many duties the last decade. It will hardly change anything.’ Apart from the official title, Thorin thought, with a pang of sadness.

‘Your coronation,’ he clarified to his dumbfounded nephew. The kind blue eyes, which had finally grown serious during the past decades, opened widely. Then Fili straightened his back.

‘I am ready,’ he stated without hesitation. ‘Ready to serve Erebor whenever it is asked of me.’

Thorin smiled and nodded.

‘I know you are,’ he said, putting his hands on his heir’s shoulders. Fili bowed his head and Thorin pressed his lips on his forehead.

They were interrupted by the door of the study opening rather abruptly, and without knocking. Both dwarves turned to look, both faces relaxing into a smile as they saw the mop of white curls and braids.

‘Blasted wizard! Blasted _Elves!’_ Bilbo exclaimed as he hobbled towards them, his walking stick making irritated noises on the stone floor.

‘What is it, Bilbo?’ Thorin hastened to his ruffled spouse, taking his arm and setting him on one of the chairs.

‘ _Blasted_ Elves!’ the hobbit bellowed. He looked at Thorin, eyes glowing. ‘You know, muhudel, after all these years I think I must admit that you were right about them all along.’ He took a deep breath.

‘They won’t take you!’ he cried. ‘I offered them everything I own and more, I invoked every last favour I could possibly think of and he says it is not possible. Well, I don’t buy into those sad eyes of his. If I never see him again, it is too soon!’ Breathing heavily he leaned backwards. Thorin sat down next to him. He gently put his hand on Bilbo’s arm. The hobbit looked at him, eyes suddenly brimming with tears.

‘Oh my love,’ said Thorin. He pulled Bilbo to his chest and held him there. A soft cough made him look up. Fili looked at them worriedly.

‘What is it, uncle Thorin?’ he asked. ‘Bilbo, what happened? Can I help?’

‘I fear not, Fili,’ answered Thorin. He hesitated what to tell his nephew. He had a feeling that Frodo had not yet discussed this subject with his dwarven cousins, or Fili would surely have said something. Bilbo straightened suddenly. He wiped off his tears, and said:

‘Well, there is nothing to be done about it then. We will live out our years, you and I, and be happy about it. Though I fear you are the one losing out. I have spent more than half my life with you, but your time with me has been a much smaller part of your lifetime.’

Thorin drew the hobbit in his embrace again.

‘Don’t start that again, you stubborn halfling!’ A muffled protest against the royal chest. ‘It has been the most important part of my life, and you know it.’ Bilbo struggled to free himself, but Thorin’s arms were still more than strong enough to hold him. He laughed and let his husband wriggle himself out of his embrace. A flustered, indignant, round face presented itself to him and he could do nothing but kiss it.

‘Confounded dwarf,’ mumbled Bilbo against his lips.

A careful cough reminded Thorin that they were not alone. He turned to Fili, who had averted his eyes, but couldn’t help smiling, a faint blush on his cheeks.

Thorin cleared his throat. Over the years he had become decidedly more careless with showing his affection for the King-Consort in public. He knew people joked about it, but since it was mainly good-natured he didn’t let it bother him.

‘Dinner,’ said Fili.

‘Oh yes,’ said Bilbo, straightening his waistcoat.’Who are we having today?’ His expression darkened. ‘No Elves I hope?’

 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0

 

Bilbo was remarkably quiet at dinner. Usually he had kind words for everyone, but after the greeting rituals he sat down on his chair to the King’s left and did not speak. He didn’t eat that much either. He seemed more occupied with glaring at Gandalf and the guest seated next to him.

Thorin nudged him with his elbow. Bilbo looked up and mouthed: ‘What?’ Thorin leaned into him and whispered:

‘I am certain that Thranduil has no say in the matter, however dearly he would like to be of that much importance.’

Bilbo huffed.

‘They’re all in it together, I’m sure.’

Thorin grinned.

‘You are starting to sound like me, beloved,’ he chuckled. Suddenly Bilbo stuck his arm through Torin’s and pulled him close, so he could whisper in his ear.

‘It’s just….I would so wish to spend many more years with you,’ he said earnestly. ‘I love you so very much.’

To his embarrasment, Thorin felt himself choking up. He blinked, trying to keep away the tears, but to no avail. He must have become too soft in the head these days, that his sweet husband was able to let him break down at an official dinner. Maybe Fili better take the crown tomorrow. He swallowed, swiftly wiping the tears from his eyes with his napkin. He pressed Bilbo’s arm without saying anything. Only then did he dare to pay attention to his guests again. Though the other guests at least pretended not to have noticed, Gandalf and Thranduil were both looking at the royal pair. The Elven King’s face was unreadable, as usual, though he had raised one dark eyebrow. Gandalf had a vaguely guilty expression on his face. Thorin scowled at him and decided that he would have a stern word with the wizard later.

 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0

 

‘You,’ said Thorin emphatically, pointing an accusing finger at the White Wizard, while he closed the door behind him. ‘You have something to answer for, you meddling piece of...’

‘Now now, Thorin,’ said Gandalf, lighting his pipe. He frowned at the angry Dwarf. ‘You can’t blame me for trying to help the lad. I know you don’t want to lose him, but life has become very difficult for him.’

Thorin blinked.

‘You know very well I’m not talking about Frodo,’ he said. He stood in front of the seated wizard, glaring down at him. ‘You,’ he thrust his finger to Gandalf’s chest. ‘Have caused Bilbo grief, and that I will not stand for.’

‘Look, Thorin,’ began the wizard, but the dwarf raised his hand.

‘I do not want to hear it!’ he cried out. ‘Why did you even bring up the invitation when you knew he wouldn’t accept?’ He started coughing, intermingled with Khuzdul curses.

Gandalf had the grace to look mildly self-conscious. Thorin fell down in a chair, suddenly too tired to continue the fight. They remained silent for a while.

‘I am so sorry, Thorin,’ Gandalf said quietly. ‘I never thought he would accept, but the others insisted that he was asked.’

‘What others?’

‘Lord Elrond, the Lady Galadriel, King Celeborn, among others.’ When Thorin reacted with an angry scoff, he continued: ‘They are grateful that Bilbo took such good care of the Ring for so many years and allowed Frodo to leave with it. They are aware of how difficult that must have been.’

‘It wasn’t that difficult, really,’ said a voice. They both looked up to see Bilbo closing the door quietly behind him. He walked toward them and sat down next to Thorin.

‘As I remember, you weren’t too eager, Master Baggins.’ The wizard looked at Bilbo with a smile. The hobbit shrugged. ‘As I remember, it took some persuasion and your royal husband’s help to leave that envelope on the table.’

Thorin had not forgotten how reluctant Bilbo had been to actually part with the Ring, even though he had agreed when the idea was put before him. Several times he was about to hand it over but ended up stuffing the little envelope back into his waistcoat pocket. Finally Thorin had reached for it, and slowly taken it from him, putting it on the table. He remembered the surprised look on Gandalf’s face when Bilbo twitched like he was in pain, but only for a moment, and then relaxed. The hobbit had sighed and looked up at Thorin with a smile.

The King was awoken from his reverie by a curt knock on the door.

‘Enter,’ he bellowed.

A guard opened the door and announced, slightly flustered:

‘King Thranduil to see you, Sire.’

Oh bother, thought Thorin. ‘Yes, let him in,’ he said, raising from his seat. The King of the Woodland Realm strode into the sitting room, his face haughty as ever. His eyes rested on Bilbo for a moment, acknowledging him with a nod.

‘Please, be seated,’ said Thorin formally, indicating the chair next to Gandalf.  ‘What can I do for you?’

Thranduil raised an eyebrow.

‘We planned to discuss the new trade agreements,’ he said, a hint of irritation to his voice.

Thorin could hit himself. In his wish to confront Gandalf, he had completely forgotten about that.

‘Yes, yes, of course,’ he said quickly.

‘However,’ drawled the Elf, glancing from Thorin to Bilbo to Gandalf, ‘I think there may be another matter at hand that requires your attention.’ He raised a finger and seemed to listen. Suddenly they heard angry voices in the hallway and the door flung open. Kili barged in, dragging a flustered Frodo with him and followed by his brother.

‘This is unacceptable!’ he shouted at Thorin, shoving the little hobbit in front of him. ‘You cannot allow it, uncle!’

Thorin stood, anger starting to brew.

‘How dare you enter here like that!’ he thundered. ‘Have you no sense at all!’ He managed to suppress the coughing for once.

Kili froze. Looking around him he suddenly became aware of the company and a blush crept up his face. Unconsciously he pulled Frodo towards him, in a protective gesture.

‘I... I’m sorry, Uncle Thorin,’ he stammered.

Thorin glowered at him. From the corner of his eye he saw an amused smile on Thranduil’s face. That Elf seems to thrive in other people’s difficulties, Thorin thought, irritated. He sat back down, trying to regain his composure.

‘I think we need to talk about this,’ came Gandalf’s calm voice.

Thorin turned to him furiously.

‘There is nothing to talk about in this company,’ he sneered, with a glance at the Elven King.

‘Why won’t you allow him to come?’ asked Bilbo suddenly. He was looking at Thranduil. ‘Is it because he is a Dwarf? Because, you know, that is very small of you.’ His voice was low. ‘I had a much higher opinion of Elves.’

Kili’s eyes darted from Bilbo to Thranduil and to his uncle. Thranduil looked at Bilbo as if he was contemplating an answer when Gandalf spoke. His voice was soft.

‘Only partly because he is a Dwarf,’ he said. Bilbo’s fists clenched the armrests of his chair. ‘Really no one but Elves, and this wizard, are allowed into the West. It is an exceptional offer that Frodo was invited, for the exceptional service he has rendered Middle Earth.’

‘Of course,’ Bilbo said, still gazing at Thranduil. ‘But you didn’t invite only Frodo, now did you? And what exceptional thing have I ever done to deserve the honor? I simply had a stupid invisibilty ring that I didn’t really need, and then I gave it away. Nothing special at all. So if you can invite me, you can invite my other half as well.’

The room went very quiet. Thorin saw Kili’s eyes grow huge as he began to comprehend. He stumbled backwards, reaching for Fili’s hand.

‘I wish I had never found that blasted ring,’ mumbled Bilbo. ‘Lot of good it did all of us.’

‘You saved us with that ring,’ said Fili with a strained voice. He looked devastated. ‘You saved all of us, over and over again.’

‘Well,’ admitted Bilbo. ‘Maybe I did. But that is not the point.’

‘No, it isn’t,’ said Thranduil suddenly. It earned him angry looks from the Dwarves in the room. He raised an elegant hand to silence any protests about to erupt. ‘The point is that you had the One Ring in your possession for many years and didn’t succumb to it. That in itself is a remarkable feat. And that has earned you the invitation. Not many beings alive in this Era would be able to withstand its pull after wearing it even once.’

‘Bollocks,’ said Bilbo. They stared at him. The hobbit turned to his husband.

‘You didn’t succumb to it either,’ he said. ‘And you wore it more than once. See, nothing so grand about it.’

Gandalf and Thranduil gasped.

‘What?’ said Bilbo, looking at their dumbfounded faces.

‘You... he….Thorin…?’ Gandalf struggled to make a coherent sound. Suddenly Thranduil rose from his seat. He seemed to expand, a dark green aura appeared around him.

‘Do you mean to say that a _Dwarf_ has touched, has _worn_ the One Ring?’ he thundered.

Bilbo stood up, not in the least intimidated. Thorin almost pulled him down again.

‘Not _A_ Dwarf,’ the hobbit bellowed. ‘ _This_ Dwarf, _MY_ Dwarf, my Husband, my Heart and Soul!’ He gasped for breath. ‘Yes,’ he continued, speaking more calmly again. ‘Yes, Thorin has worn the Ring.’ 

Thorin found himself almost as breathless as Bilbo when he saw the Elven King shrink to his normal stature and colour. Bilbo sat down again. He grabbed Thorin’s hand.

Thranduil sat down, for once lost for words it seemed. Gandalf’s eyes had returned to their normal size. He bent foward, his gaze intensely on the Dwarven King.

‘You wore the Ring?’ he asked, sounding incredulous.

Thorin shrugged. ‘Only twice,’ he said. ‘Look, I do not understand why this is such a shock for you...’

‘What did it feel like?’ the wizard interrupted, eyeing the Dwarf curiously.

‘Well...’ Thorin hesitated.

‘It was just a bit of fun,’ Bilbo said. ‘It was when I was writing about Gollum and our inprisonment in Mirkwood.’ Thranduil made an sudden movement. Bilbo ignored him.’My book, you know. Anyway, I was reading it to Thorin and he asked what it was like to be invisible. So I went to fetch the ring and he tried it out.’  He smiled at the recollection. ‘It was so funny seeing him disappear before my eyes. Finally I saw what it must have been like for others to see me disappear and appear again.’  He chuckled. Thorin smiled at him. It was a happy memory, though not entirely. Gandalf’s eyes were still fixed on him.

‘Anyway, the next day we decided to take a walk through the Mountain together, Thorin wearing the ring.’

‘I loved seeing how my people approached my Consort without me being present,’ said Thorin. ‘We had been married for how long?’

‘Almost 40 years,’ answered Bilbo promptly. ‘The festivities were being prepared.’

‘Oh yes, of course. Anyway, it was a very interesting experience.’ He stopped.

‘Interesting, eh?’ said Gandalf. He had raised his eyebrows. ‘Nothing more than that?’ He leaned back, chewing on his pipe, gazing at Thorin. Suddenly he sat up. He pointed the long stem of his pipe to the Dwarf.

‘You,’he said loudly, ‘are of the line of Durin, your grandfather died because of the Gold Fever he was unable to shed. Your father succumbed to the Last of the Dwarven Rings to be collected by Sauron. And you wore the One Ring. You must have felt something beyond _interesting._ ’

Thorin squeezed Bibo’s hand before he spoke. He had never told him what he was about to say.

‘I did,’ he acknowledged. ‘Not the first, short time I wore it, but the next day, while we were walking. It became stronger the longer I wore it.’ He felt Bilbo stir next to him. ‘It was... it was a pull, a tugging at my very heart and soul. I began to see images of darkness and fire. Of unimaginable power. It was ... very unpleasant.’ The room was still as a tomb.

‘So I took it off,’ Thorin concluded.

Everybody exhaled at the same time. Thranduil had gone very pale, Fili and Kili seemed unsure what was happening. Frodo, however ... Thorin didn’t understand the look in Frodo’s eyes, but suddenly the hobbit flung himself forwards and embraced him tightly. Then he pulled Bilbo into the embrace as well. For a moment they held each other like that, then he let go and stepped back, a little flustered.

‘So that is why you suddenly gave it back,’ Bilbo said quietly. ‘I never knew this, Âzyungel. Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘I did not want to frighten you, my love,’ Thorin said with difficulty. ‘I did not want you to fear me, like you once had to.’ A very old pain flashed over Bilbo’s face. He put his finger to Thorin’s lips.

‘Don’t,’ he said. ‘Don’t go there.’ He leaned over and kissed Thorin softly. ‘I understand.’

Gandalf hummed, blowing smoke from his mouth.

‘That is it, you see,’ he said. ‘You two are rather remarkable.’ He looked at Thorin and Bilbo with a loving smile. ‘Very remarkable indeed.’

‘I don’t understand,’ cried Kili suddenly, grasping his head in dispair. ‘I don’t understand any of this.’

‘I do,’ said Frodo’s quiet voice. All turned to him and he blushed. Gandalf nodded at him.

‘Kili, the Ring had a terrible power,’ Frodo said. ‘Anyone with any desire for power would succumb to it almost immediately. Gandalf wouldn’t accept it because he knew what he would become, and even the Lady Galadriel refused when I offered it to her.’

Thranduil jumped up, his eyes bulging.

‘You offered the Ring to Galadriel?’ he shouted. Frodo looked at him, surprised at the outburst.

‘I did,’he said. Thranduil became aware of himself and sat down again, looking flustered. Thorin found himself enjoying that very much.

‘Even she, the fairest and wisest of Elves, even she would not have been able to withstand the Ring. You withstood it, uncle Bilbo, because really you never wanted any power. I managed for some time, though Eru knows how difficult it became at the end. If it hadn’t been for Sam....and Sméagol....’ his voice trailed off. Then he collected himself and continued. ‘That you were able to withstand its pull, uncle Thorin, is indeed remarkable. You are a Dwarf, a powerful King, from a long line of Kings, several of whom succumbed to the dark side of power. Yet you did not sway.’ He looked at Thorin for a long time. He sighed with a smile. ‘The Ring could not take your heart and soul, because you had already given them freely and irrevocably.’

Thorin felt Bilbo squeeze his hand.

‘You recognized the danger and immediately removed the temptation from yourself. Did you ever want to touch the Ring again?’ asked Gandalf.

‘Never,’ said Thorin resolutely. ‘I had everything I wanted and I was not about to risk any of that.’

Frodo smiled at him again.

‘So.... So... I still don’t understand,’ complained Kili.

‘Really, Kili,’ said Fili rolling his eyes. ‘Uncle Thorin had already pledged his heart to uncle Bilbo so the Ring couldn’t get a hold of him.’

‘That is right, Fili,’ said Gandalf. ‘A remarkable pair.’ He pondered for a while, then he turned to Thranduil. ‘I think we need to send out some messages.’

 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0

 

‘Wake up, uncle Thorin.’ Someone tugged at his free arm. He awoke slowly, blinking.

‘What is it, Frodo?’ he asked. He was pleasantly aware of Bilbo being asleep against his chest, safely tucked under his right arm.

‘We have arrived,’ said Frodo. Indeed, the carriage seemed to have stopped. ‘We are there!’

Bilbo stirred.

‘Where?’ he asked sleepily.

‘We have arrived at the Grey Havens, uncle Bilbo.’

The old hobbit sat up, suddeny wide awake. He looked up at Thorin with bright eyes.

‘Muhudel! We are here!’

‘It seems so, my love,’ replied Thorin, smiling at his happiness. He felt so very tired. It seemed the hobbit had borne the long trip better than he had.

‘Not long now, not long,’ said Bilbo, well aware of how Thorin felt.

Frodo helped the old couple get out of the coach. After stretching his aching limbs, Thorin looked around him. Elves were already embarking on the big white ship that slowly bounced against the harbour walls. He saw Elrond, Galadriel and Celeborn dismounting and talking to their kinsmen. Behind them he heard pony hooves. Sam, Merry and Pippin dismounted and approached them, their faces sad.

They bowed before the former King under the Mountain. Thorin raised his hand in protest.

‘Please,’ he said. ‘I am King no more. Thorin, just Thorin.’

Three faces looked up at him.

‘You will always be our King,’ said Merry. ‘Because you are mr Bilbo’s King.’

Thorin smiled and bowed his head.

‘Then I thank you,’ he said. The three young hobbits turned their attention to Bilbo. The old hobbit smiled and spread his arms. They all hugged him, and their tears stained his coat.

‘Goodbye, mr Bilbo,’ said Sam Gamgee, wiping his hand over his eyes. ‘We will never forget you.’ He turned a shy gaze to Thorin. ‘Goodbye King Thorin. May your days be blessed and happy.’

Thorin bowed.

‘Thank you master Gamgee, may yours be ever blessed as well.’

Bilbo took his arm and they turned to slowly walk towards the ship, leaving Frodo to say goodbye to his friends. They were helped aboard by strong Elven arms. When he looked at the shore, Thorin saw the four young hobbits united in a strong embrace. Bilbo had seen it too. A tear rolled over his face.

‘I hate goodbyes,’ Bilbo said softly.

‘I know, Âzyungel,’ answered Thorin, thinking back to the farewell at Erebor, leaving behind his sister, his nephews and his comrades. ‘So do I.’ He folded his arms around his hobbit and turned him around to face westward, where the grey sea seemed endless, but where he knew the lands to be where they were so graciously allowed to go. If Gandalf was right, there lay the promise of endless happy years in each other’s company, even if he had to suffer a great many Elves. Bilbo smiled up at him.

‘Come here, my heart’ he said softly. Their lips found each other in a kiss filled with passionate memories and the promise of new ones to be made.

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. So, Frodo has been living at Erebor with Bilbo. I imagine Bilbo got word that Drogo and Primula died and went to adopt Frodo and took him to Erebor. LOTR still happened. I guess Frodo volunteered for the quest since Bilbo was too old to do it himself by then. I’m thinking that Frodo’s friends, Sam, Merry and Pippin, came over for regular visits, so they would still be his companions on his way to Mordor. Maybe Sam was even living in Erebor, or at least stayed there for extended periods of time.
> 
> 2\. Ages: on the internet I found that Dwarves apparently have a life span of about 250 years, though some live longer. In The Hobbit, Bilbo is 50-51, Thorin is 195 (yes, I know that in the movies he looks much younger, but hey, this is fantasy!). In LOTR Bilbo is 131 when they sail from the Grey Havens. That would set it 80 years after the end of The Hobbit. Thorin would therefore be about 275 years old. So they would both have lived pretty long compared to their life-expectancy, making them a dear old couple. If the information I found is incorrect, well then, we will have to live with the fact that I changed yet another thing in mr Tolkien’s saga. 
> 
> 3\. How the Ring works and the explanation of why Thorin was able to resist it are obviously my interpretation/fantasy. It is probably not canon, but hey, this is an Alternate Universe. And it is so romantic!  Also I think I combined book!verse and movie!verse with regard to the fate of Thrain and Thror. 
> 
> 4\. Âzyungel = love of love  
> Muhudel = blessing of all blessings  
> Source: http://www.scribd.com/doc/98388264/Khuzdul-Dictionary-K-E-v01-JUN12
> 
> 5\. I am aware that in LOTR it is not really said that the Undying Lands are some form of Heaven where everybody lives forever (though obviously the Elves do, since they are immortal anyway). I read that it is most likely that mortals just live out their lives there in more peace. However, in my little AU, it is a form of Heaven or Eternity. Because I desperately need some ‘happily ever after’. So there it is.
> 
> A very late PS, dd April 2017: I found artwork that seems made for this story! http://mymustachedheart.tumblr.com/post/106039947317/ewebean-what-do-you-mean-they-dont-grow-old


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